General Dental Council calls for tougher controls on teeth whitening

Strict regulations should be placed upon teeth whitening practitioners to ensure patient safety, the General Dental Council (GDC) has claimed.

Calling for tougher controls, the organisation has put forward proposals to ensure those performing the procedure are appropriately trained, BBC News reports.

This comes after an increase in the number of people choosing to undergo the treatment in high streets and shopping centres in a bid to save money.

Chief executive of the GDC Evlynne Gilvarry warned people contemplating having their teeth whitened that the procedure should be carried out in a clean and hygienic environment by a professional.

She said: "Over the last few years we have received hundreds of complaints from the public and dental professionals about poor tooth whitening."

Meanwhile, the popularity of teeth whitening procedures in America has been highlighted after figures from the American Institute of Cosmetic Dentistry revealed £1.4 billion (£846 million) is spent on the procedure annually, Stylecaster reports.